I am still around...

This past month has been full. We have been getting ready for Delaney's 4th birthday! And Scott coming home for a visit. Can we go back to January, I need more time. Let's see if I can hit some highlights of the last 4 weeks.

Made Delaney's birthday dress and currently working on sewing up the last 3 party favor bags. Yeah I know. If I have time tonight Daphne will also get a matching outfit for tomorrow's party.

I did finish 3 quilts this month and 2 of them were UFO's! I am hoping to get one more done by Sunday but I am not holding my breath.

Daphne had her 4 month check up and all is good. She is in the 50% range which is a big change from Delaney who was always 95%. Daphne is a good baby.

Scott got home last Friday. Saturday we did a quick sprint through the de Young to see the Amish quilts. The exhibit was great, the staff was so rude it blew my mind. That night we went to a crab feed for my niece's school. Sunday morning I was up early finishing a donation for a bowling fundraiser and then we were off to Reno for a few days.

A friend joined us in Reno. The guys got to snowboard one day and I got binding on 2 quilts. I also made a pair of Corvette pillowcases for me. I did get to shop at both of the quilt shops in Reno and want to go back in March for a class. Still trying to figure that one out.

Thursday was our first real day at home. I sewed for Delaney's birthday and Scott hung out with the kids. We also got to attend our niece's play The Wizard of Oz, all three were in the play. Last night was also the quilt guild meeting. This was the first month to turn in blocks for the Christmas Quilt Committee, which I am the Chairman of. So far I have 25 blocks, enough for one quilt and a block for the second.

Today is being spent finishing stuff for tomorrow's party. Scott and Delaney are out ordering the pizza and I am home sewing stuff and baking cupcakes. I will try to post pictures Sunday.

Pillow Cases

I just figured out that I took pictures of the dozen pillow cases I made. The first five are from my stash and going to the Eagle Scout project. The second five are kits that were donated by Ladybug Quilts. And the last two are gifts, one for Ang and the other for Nat.

So Much Has Happened *With Photos*

I don't know where to start. The last 2 weeks are a blure. See if I can remember parts of it. I do have photos.

First my friend Kim's son is at Stanford. Josh has Cystic Fibrosis and his lungs were down to 12% and with that his Oxygen and CO2 levels were completely crazy. A week ago Josh was put on the double lung transplant list. He is number one. Last Friday was his birthday and he turn 26. If you live in the Stockton area Chili's in Stockton is helping with a fundraiser for Josh. All you have to do is print the flyer and go eat at Chili's on Feb 1st. Everyone that eats their and turns in a flyer 10% will go to helping Josh and his wife. Go visit I Support Joshua Mompean on facebook. You can print the flyer here.

I had a fun photo session with Heather of Moomp Photography. I am waiting for her to give me the okay to promote her latest thing. Just wait you'll love it! Speaking of Moomp spring is coming have you have a family photo done recently, like in the last decade? Call Heather make an appointment. Grab you spouse, kids and grandkids (she'll do your pets too) and head out to meet Heather. You will have the best time with your family and be a head of the game for Christmas photos! Yes I know it is January and I am talking Christmas photos but really come fall you'll be lucky to get a session with her.

I got Delaney's Garden Party Dress done. Delaney has a mini session with Heather tomorrow, I am doing photo invitations for her birthday. Now to start the party favor bags. I have also eliminated a UFO. I decided that I was never going to make the quilt. It was a sample for a class I was going to teach that didn't come about. I had 5 1/2 blocks made. I finished the last block and disbursed the remaining fabric into my stash. I put 2 blocks into my new endeavor for the quilt guild and with the other 4 I made placemats. I found Vicki's wonderful Orphan Block Placemat Tutorial over at 3 Creative Studios. I have also made a Halloween quilt top out of the 9 patches from the swap I did last fall. I cut them in half and made a Disappearing 9 Patch. I love it. The bonus is JoAnn's had Halloween fabric on sale 60% off. I was able to get the borders and backing for $2.79 a yard!!!


These are the four placemats I made.

Right now I am still finishing my Calendar Men quilt. I am hoping to have that done this week. I am working on finishing up my January row for my row quilt. Also I got the sneak peak for Febuary's Block Lotto. I love it so much! I already have one done. I am hoping to be able to get a few more before the first too.

And last for all of you who say you want to see my girls.

DANG!!! I missed it!

Yesterday was my Blog-A-Versary. I missed it. Now how funny is that? So three years ago I started What Are They Doing Now. It is hard to believe how time flies.

This year I am not going to do a reader give away. But I am going to give a quilt away to a local group. Not to sure yet who. I am going to see what strikes me to make this weekend and then decide where it is going. I am also going to give away 6 pillow cases for ConKerr Cancer for the Eagle Scout project.

This next year I challenge all my readers to DO something to make a difference. Donate a quilt or pillow cases to a group that can use them. DO something more than say you support a group give your time or talents to show your support. If your not sure who you want to support here are some that I help:
Adopt A Hero
Packed With Pride
Quilts of Valor
Homeless Shelters
Women's Shelter
Veteran's Hospitals

There are also emergency relief groups that need help. Right now you can help flood victims in Ireland and the people in Haiti.

If you THINK your talents can't benefit a group you are wrong. Raise money by walking or running to find a cure, let me know I'll sponsor you. Heck Disneyland is doing a campaign Give A Day Get A Day. Donate one of your days to a charity and they will give you a ticket for a day at a park. There is so much WE all can do without spending a ton of money. Make this the year you make a difference.

Help An Eagle Scout!

If you can sew a straight line you can do this! Lizzie B's son is working on his Eagle Scout project and needs our help. He is trying to make and receive a total of 100 pillow cases for ConKerr Cancer. They are needing to receive the pillow case by the end of the month. You can ship them to the following address:

Trevor Hawkins
978 Heatherstone Dr
Berwyn, PA 19312

So here is my challenge if you ARE an Eagle Scout make a pillow case. For each son you have that is an Eagle Scout make a pillow case. If you are married to an Eagle Scout make a pillow case. For each of your brothers that are Eagle Scouts make a pillow case. If your father is an Eagle Scout make 2 pillow cases. If you don't fall into any of these categories make one anyways.

If you are local and would like me to ship your pillow cases with mine I will be mailing on Friday the 29th. The day after the Manteca Guild meeting.

Goals For 2010

I have made a few goal for this year. Heck I do it every year. Sometimes I even work towards achieving them. So I thought I would share some of my goals for the year.

1. Work on decluttering the house. One trip (big or small) a month to donate to Goodwill.

2. Push myself Creatively. I want to work with new colors, textures and designs.

3. I belong to a group that NEEDS change, I would like to be part of the solution to the change not sit back and complain that we need change.

4. Finish 1 UFO a month.

5. I would like to PIF (Pay It Forward) 6 sewn items this year. Watch your mail boxes!

6. Meet whatever Health Goal my work sets for me. I wont know what it is until late Feb early March.

7. Complete 2 handwork projects this year.

So what are your goals? Are you working towards them?

Starry Night

These are the Milky Way blocks I won at Block Lotto. It was the October block. I received them in the mail in November and December. I finished getting the borders on it yesterday. I have 2 tops done so far this year. Now just to get a whole quilt done.